Device for suspending and securing the supporting-rods of instrument.



No. 791,864. PATENTED MAY so, 1905.

I A. PPBIPFER & K. HEIN. DEVICE FORSUSPENDING AND SECURING THE SUPPORTING RODS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

OF INSTRUMENTS.

APILIGATION FILED NOV. 19,1903.

PATENTED MAY 80, 1905.

A. PFEIPFER & K. HEIN. 4 DEVICE TOE SUSPENDING AND SECURING TEE SUPPORTING RODS v 0F INSTRUMENTS.

-APPL GATION FILED NOV. 19,1903- [I lg 5 I 2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

. I I I l/YVEA/ Tali;

WITNESS'E S.-

Patented May 30, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLF'PFEIFFER AND KARL HEIN, OF HANOVER, GERMANY; SAIl) PFEIFFER ASSIGNOR TO SAID'HEIN.

. DEVICE FOR SUSPENDING AND SECURING THE SUPPORTING-RODS F INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 791,364, dated May 30, 1905.

Application filed November 19 1903. SerialNo. 181,884.

T0 at whom it may concern:

' the supporting-rods of instruments if it were not that it fails where the supporting-rod has to be adjusted for a length of time. For this reason the Cardanic suspension is entirely useless for many purposesfor instance, for the horizontal maintenance of geodetic instruments and many other apparatus, in which -a continued vertical adjustment of the supporting-rod and a continuedhorizontal position of the instruments connected with the rod are required. For this reason in geodetic instruments suspension arrangements in which the supporting-rod swings in all directions are not in use, and those in which it swings only on a plane are but little in use.

This invention has for its object to effect by simple means such adjustment, so that the supporting-rod may be kept in the position of rest for any desired length of time. Such a construction may consistfor instance, like a Cardanic suspensionof a frame movable in a plane by meansof two cylindrical pins in a bearing, in which frame the supporting-rod of the instrument is suspended vertically to the pins, of the'frame and moves in a plane at right angles to the first.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section through the universal joint, and Fig. 2 is a front view. Figs. 3 and 4 show two different ways of securing universal-joint pins. Fig. 5 shows a vertical cross-section. Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section, and Fig. '7 is a plan view, of one form of our invention. Fig. 8 shows a vertical longitudinal section along the line as w of Fig. 10. Fig. 9 is a section along 3/ y of Fig. 10, and Fig. 10 is a form of our invention.

The rule a rests on the supporting-rod b, which according to the examples of Figs. 1

plan view of a modified to 7 oscillates on the horizontal shaft d, fastened in the bearing-frame 0, while the supporting-rod may advantageously be composed of two parts, which for the purpose of taking apart and of easy transportation are connected with each other. oscillation is at right angles to the shaft 61 I and is formed of the pin f of the frame 0, resting in the bearing 6, so that the supportingrod 6 is movable in the manner of the universal joint, so that by means of the pendulum-weight g itis brought automatically to the vertical. Accordingly the rule a with ever so oblique a position of the tripod is caused to assume a horizontal position.

In order that the joint may come quickly to rest and not, like the ordinary Cardanic suspension, remain a long time in motion or be set in motion again by slight concussions, the frame 0, Fig. 1, provided with the joint-pinf, is snugly fitted into the bearing 6 in such manner that between the front sides of the swinging frame 0 and the surfaces of the stationary bearing 0 so much friction exists that superfluous oscillationsof the frame 0 are avoided. This friction, however, is not so great that it might disturb the nicety of the adjustment. The supporting-rod I) is snugly guided in like manner in the sides of the frame 0. Besides this arrangement or in place of the same the bearing-notches, Fig. 2, for the joint-pins f in the bearing a are made somewhat larger than the diameters of these pins f, which thus in'their motion get the tendency to roll in the larger bearing-notches. This tendency of the pins is counteracted, however, by the weight resting on the pins, which weight during the rolling of the pins would have to be raised on the ascending course of thebearing-notches. The shaft is made conical, Fig. 5, and is fitted accurately into the supporting-rod Z) in such manner that this shaft d can be readjusted to compensate for wear. The supporting-rod b is advantageously made hollow in order that the friction of the shaft 0? may equal as much. as possible the friction of the pins f. The joint-pins may also, in order to attain the before-mentioned object, be braked by any other desired contrivance which is so formed that its brake action can be increased up to the tight clamping of the joint in order to tightly fix the joint when in exact horizontal position. This object may be served, as shown in Fig. 3, by a simple screw g pressing against the pin f by means of clampingpiece T or, again, a clamping-ring may be used, which can be pressed together by screw (1 Fig. 4. Another example of a means for tightly clamping the joint is shown in Figs. 5 to 7. The side is of the bearing-frame c is springy and advantageously has a clamp-disk Z on on each side. Against the outer disk m there rests the shaft of a clamp-screw a, screwed onto the extended shaft (Z, which clamp-screw in one direction of revolution presses the disks Z m against an enlarged part on the supporting-rod 6, so that the latter is tightly clamped, while with a contrary turn of the screw limited by the stop 0 the clampdisk Z is caused by the spring Zr to draw back in order to permit the oscillation of the instrument on the axle (Z. A quarter to half a revolution of the screw on is suificient as a rule to effect the clamping or loosening.

For adjusting tightly the pins f there may be provided a clamping-plate p, which by means of the thread on the clamping-screw q may be pressed against or drawn away from the surface of a depending lug r of the frame 0. A like arrangement may also be placed on the opposite side in the bearing a, if desired.

As the clamping-surfaces, plate 2), and disk Z on moving against the clamping-surfaces of the frame 0 or the supporting-rod Z are guided exactly parallel to the axes f or (Z, (the tight adjustment of which they are to efiect,) the position of the rule remains undisturbed by the clamping-screws being turned, which would not be the case if the clamping-surfaces were turned away with respect to each other or if the axes themselves oscillated.

For the pendulum-weight the instrument itself may be substituted and placed with its center of gravity below the suspension contrivanee, so that it represents a pendulumweight, as it were, and effects the automatic adjustment in the manner hereinbefore described. In some cases the automatic adjustment may be dispensed with and the same means employed for a hand-adjusted instrument.

Figs. 8 to 10 show a way of carrying out the invention for the subsequent exact adjustment of the instrument after the tight clamping, no matter whether the first adjustment has been effected automatically by a pendulum or by hand, for it is possible that with a premature adjustment or one undertaken during concussions the adjusted instrument will not lie entirely horizontal. Such deviations are to be corrected by microriieter-screws. For this purpose the supporting-rod Z) for the instrument is solidly connected with the part c, which rests by the pins (Z in a frame 0 the pins f of which rest in the bearing-blocks c. The parts m and 1" are tightly clamped by the clamp-screws a and q to secure the two axes of oscillation and are provided each with amicrometer-screw s, which rests against a projection s or .s of each frame c or 0"". Against the opposite side of each arm .s" or N there rests a spring 6, so that each frame is held by its projection tightly between the spring 6 and the micrometer-screw a. If after clamping the two parts m and r the instrument is found to be not horizontal, the screws may be adjusted to correct such error as may exist. It is obvious that this adjusting can be attained not only at the joint portions of the suspension, as shown, but it may also be accomplished by clamping the supporting-rod itself.

\Ve claim as our invention- 1. A supporting-rod for instruments, having two axes of oscillation at right angles to each other and a frame and bearing in which said axes lie, in combination with means for clamping the rod, consisting of screws and clamping-surfaces parallel to the parts to be clamped, substantially as described.

2. A supporting-rod for instruments, having means for oscillating in two directions, means for clamping the rod against such motion, and adjusting means adapted to displace the rod subsequent to its clamping.

3. A supporting-rod for instruments, having a pivotal frame for the rod and a pivotal bearing for the frame, means for clamping both against turning, and projections on the frame and bearings and micrometer-screws and springs to adjust the position of the frame and bearing subsequent to the clamping, substantially as described.

4. A supporting-rod for instruments, having a pivotal frame for the rod, a pivotal hearing for the frame, a projection for each, pivotally-mounted parts 122., r carrying micrometer-screws, to bear against said projections, and means for clamping said parts against movement, substantially as described.

5. A supporting-rod pivotal] y mounted in a frame, a projection .v for the rod, a part 1/1 pivotally mounted on the axis of the rod and a clamping means on the frame to prevent the oscillation of the parts m on said axis, and micrometer adjusting means carried by said part, in combination with a pivotal bearing for said frame and projecting part, clamping means and micrometer means to control oscillation of the pivotal bearing in substantially the manner hereinabove described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ADOLF PFEll lililR. KARL HEIN.

- \Vitnesses:

H. HALL HALL, ANNA DIrruL. 

